Thanks for getting us the new graphic Si

No worries mate, I spotted the logo so thought it might better suit. Uploaded to news logos directory along with the new MCSA. I couldnt see the MCSM one though!

Ooh.
I've been reading about this.

I'm a bit surprised that MS are reusing the same acronyms, surely a recipe for confusion...
They've also sneakily introduced the three year recertification rule we'll see how that goes down.

Overall a positive change, I think it looks like a decent modernisation.

OK, so according to this those of us with MCITP-SA should now also be MCSA Windows 2008 then. Time to go check

ohhh, thanks for the news!

Does this mean i can no longer sit the exams that would of got me the old MCSA?

290 and 291?

You should still be able to sit those exams and the other exams that make up the MCSE 2003... I haven't heard any retirement dates.

The following is from the Microsoft website:

Q. What is the difference between the new Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certifications and the previous Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certifications?

A. The new Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) credential focuses on the ability to design and build technology solutions. The previous Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certification focused on a specific job role and can no longer be earned.

I'm really not a fan of this idea, perhaps because I think MCTS/MCITP is a far superior system to the one it replaced.

According to this page, Certification Overview, the MCSA is equivalent to an MCTS?

This makes no sense as the MCSA is (as far as I can see) identical to MCITP: Server Administrator?

So they retired the 290, 291, etc exams? last I checked these were still active...

even if they have not removed 290 and 291 as exams, the fact they no longer make the MCSA (administrator) available is hardly surprising, that cert with those exams is almost 10 years old, this is IT, 10 years is 10 years, and if you cant cross train those skills toward an 08 or equivalent skill then you probably have bigger hurdles in IT coming your way

Also they have not stated is is the same as an MCTS, they have positioned it at the bottom tier of the solution certification track, solutions by definition are more complex than point products or single job function certs, so this again, does not raise any red flags to me

i'm still more perplexed at why they used a rather famous acronym for something different, it will lead to masses of confusion, there was enough when they retired the MCSE, and that had a clear transition path, go figure

I got all kinds of hurdles coming my way... not IT hurdles though ;) it was never the case.

I agree though, the MCSA on 2003 has been around for a long time and sooner or later we have to upgrade.

Agree with you JK, MCTS / MCITP makes zero sense to people outside certification land, the acronym means nothing to them without significant further explanation.

The ability to get these certs in multiple domains just confuses recruiters, it could be SQL Development, Windows Server Admin, Desktop Support, etc.

Then add on the fact that in reality people are just expected to pick things up and run with it in IT.

I now have multiple MS certifications in multiple subjects, tracks and domains, spanning from support, development and databases. The idea of cert maintenance, even on a 2-3 year timetable is already impossible for me, and many cert tracks have been changing almost yearly.

Well, that blows my idea of finishing 70-291 and then upgrading the MCSA via the upgrade path. Looks like I'll just have to sit the 08 variants now instead eh.